Finance & Capital Management

AutoZone shares have traded above $500 for most of the year but the company remains an aggressive purchaser of its own stock and recently authorized the expenditure of $750 million to buy even more shares.

The recent authorization brings the total amount the company has spent buying back stock to $14.9 billion since the program began in 1998. AutoZone does not pay a dividend.

Camp Hill, Pa. – Rising drug costs and falling reimbursements, as well as higher income tax expense, significantly cut into profits at Rite Aid Corp. Net income dropped 55% to $41.4 million in the first quarter, from $91 million in the year-ago period. Its earnings matched analysts' expectations.
 
Improving pharmacy sales helped drive a 3% increase in revenue to $6.47 billion from $6.29 billion, above Wall Street projections. Same-store sales rose 3.1%. Rite Aid maintained its fiscal 2015 earnings and revenue predictions.

In his first full quarter as CEO of the nation’s largest supermarket retailer, Rodney McMullen had the pleasure of reporting sales and profits that exceeded estimates and increasing the growth forecast for a company that was already poised to surpass annual sales of sales of $100 billion.

American Standard Brands president and CEO Jay Gould was appointed to the board of directors of American Standard’s parent company, LIXIL Corporation.

Gould joined American Standard Brands in January 2012.

According to the company, Gould executed a plan that quadrupled the company's EBITA, grew sales by 10% and improved gross margins by 700 basis points.

Lancaster, Pa. -- Auntie Anne’s announced the addition of Okey M. Reese to the executive team. Reese, who has been with Auntie Anne’s since 2010, has been promoted to VP, real estate.
 
In this position, Reese will oversee the leasing, specialty retail, and franchise sales departments. His responsibilities will include the strategic oversight of identifying new growth opportunities throughout the United States, strengthening developer partnerships and assisting franchise partners in all aspects of the real estate process.

More than 1-in-4 Rite Aid locations now reflect the latest in healthcare retailing — the company's Wellness store format, the concept that serves as a cornerstone to Rite Aid's overall health-and-wellness solution, John Standley, Rite Aid chairman and CEO, told analysts Thursday morning.

"From a strategic standpoint, it's important to note that our Wellness stores will serve as a primary vehicle for launching innovative merchandising solutions, expanded healthcare offerings and, over the next few years, our relocation and new store program," he said.

Coppell, Texas – Alco Stores Inc. reported a net loss of $8.1 million in the first quarter of its fiscal year, up from a loss of $1.7 million in the year-ago period, amid an elimination of a tax benefit. The company also announced its CFO has left the company.

Net sales decreased 4.1% to $104.7 million, compared to $109.2 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2014. Same-store sales, excluding fuel centers, decreased 7.1%. Alco president and CEO Richard Wilson cited several ongoing initiatives as providing promise for future performance.

Increasing strength in Pier 1 Imports’ e-commerce business translated into better-than-expected sales that fueled the company’s overall financial results for the first quarter.

Total sales for the quarter were $419.1 million, a 6.1% increase versus $394.9 million in the year-ago quarter. Comparable sales increased 6.3% during the quarter, driven by increases in total brand traffic, conversion and higher average ticket. E-commerce sales exceeded the company’s estimates, reaching 9% of sales for the quarter.